Native American Medicinal Plants S

S

Sage – Technically known as Salvia Officinalis, this small evergreen shrub is also known as garden sage & common sage. Sage is held sacred by many Native Americans because of it’s effective purifying energies. 

Sage is a small evergreen shrub used to treat inflammation, bacterial or viral infection & chronic illness.  The following table examines why various tribes use sage.

Tribe                 Uses

Cahuilla         Colds, shampoo, deodorant, cleanse hunting equipment of bad luck

Costanoan Eye cleanser, fevers

Dakota (Oglala) Disinfectant, stomach ache

Diegueno Colds, poison oak treatment, general strengthening

Eskimo         Inflammation

Mahuna         Heal damage from birth

Tübatulabal         Consumed seeds as food

Saltbush – Officially known as Atriplex, there are several hundred species, also known as Orache. It includes many desert & seashore plants which are extremely tolerant of salt content in the ground. Their name derives from the fact that they retain salt in their leaves. Various species have long been used for a variety of health conditions, including pain, sores, spider & insect bites, rashes, stomach ache & more. It has also been used to purify water. The Hopi were known to burn & inhale the smoke for epilepsy & also used it in kiva fires for ceremonial medicine; the Paiute to boil the leave which they used for sore muscles & aches & a poultice was applied to the chest for colds. In addition to using for insect bites, the Navajo were known to have used the leaves for pain, cough, gastrointestinal problems, & as a toothache remedy.

Salvia apiana, several tribes used the seed for removing foreign objects from the eye. A tea from the roots was used by the Cahuilla women for healing & strength after childbirth. The leaves are also burnt by many Native American tribes, with the smoke used in different purification rituals. 

Salvia mellifera, the leaves & stems of the plant were made by the Chumash into a strong sun tea. This was rubbed on the painful area or used to soak one's feet. 

Sasaparilla – Scientifically called Smilax Regelii & Smilax Aspera, this perennial trailing vine with prickly stems is native to Central America & is most commonly known for its use in soft drinks. It’s been used throughout the world for many centuries & in the 1400’s, it was introduced into European medicine by contact with the indigenous tribes in South America. It has several beneficial uses in medicinal remedies including treatment for syphilis, to aid digestion, pain, blood cleansing, arthritis, colds, impotence, gonorrhea, rheumatism, wounds, fever, cough, hypertension, skin diseases, leprosy, & cancer. Like many other herbs, it has anti-oxidant properties. The Penobscot were known to have used pulverized dried sarsaparilla roots in combination with Sweetflag as a cough remedy.

Sassafras – Officially known as Sassafras Albidum, these small trees or shrubs native to the eastern North America From Maine to Ontario, south to Florida & Texas. Sassafras was used extensively for food & medicine by Native Americans long before European settlers arrived & its bark became one of the first exports of the New World. In early American folklore, explorers & settlers associated the pleasant aroma of the tree with healing & protection from evil influences, & extracts of the bark & roots soon became a panacea elixir sought by Europeans. Over the years, it has been used to treat measles, chicken pox, colds, flu, fever, as a blood purifier, & as a remedy.

Savory – Known officially as Satureja, Savory is a genus of aromatic plants of the Mint family, related to rosemary & thyme. There are about 30 species called savories, going by several names including Mountain Savory, Summer Savory, & Winter Savory. Summer savory, which is more highly prized as a spice & as a folk medicine, has long been believed to act as an aphrodisiac. It also has a number of uses in medicinal remedies including aiding the system, & to treat flatulence, diarrhea, cough, & colic. Having warming effects it was also used on the chest for congestion.

Saw Palmetto – Scientifically known as Serenoa Serrulata, this small palm grows throughout southeastern parts of North America, & its berries have long been prized by people as well as wildlife. Native Americans have been using saw palmettos for a wide range of purposes including food; the leaves used to weave baskets &  ceremonial dance fans. The heartwood of the palms have been used for traditional medicinal purposes as well as pounded into flour. It has been used in remedies for diarrhea, abdominal pain, to aid digestion, cough, respiratory congestion, inflammation, prostate health, sexual vigor, & to stimulate appetite.

Senegalia greggii, the fresh pods were eaten unripe by the Chemehuevi, Pima, & the Cahuilla. The Cahuilla dried the pods then ground it for mush & cakes, the Havasupai ground it to make bread flour, & the Seri ground it to meal to mix with water & sea lion oil for porridge. The Diegueno used it as food for domesticated animals. The Pima piled dried bushes for a brush fence, & used the branches for cradle frames too. The branches were used to dislodge saguaro fruits from the body.

Skullcap – Officially called Scutellaria Lateriflora, this perennial herb in the mint family is native to North America & grows throughout Canada & the Northern United States. Also known as Blue Skullcap, Hoodwort, Virginian Skullcap, & Mad Dog, it was traditionally cultivated & used by Native American women for menstrual cycles, to stimulate the reproductive system. Some tribes used the herb in purification ceremonies. The Iroquois used an infusion of the root to keep the throat clear, while other tribes used some species as bitter tonics for the kidneys. It has also been found to relieve stress, support the nervous system, for insomnia, tension, & restlessness. A powerful medicinal herb, it is an anti-inflammatory, abortifacient, has been used as a sedative, for the treatment of epilepsy, hysteria, anxiety, throat infections, headache, pain, anxiety, convulsions, & more. Pregnant women should not take Skullcap.

Slippery Elm – Technically called Ulmus Rubra, the Slippery Elm, is a species of elm native to eastern North America, from southeast North Dakota, east to southern Quebec, south to northernmost Florida, & west to eastern Texas. The tree had many traditional uses by Native Americans including using the inner bark fiber for thread, bow strings, ropes, clothing & more; the wood was used for numerous purposes, & the bark & leaves in washes & teas for medical purposes. Treatments included digestive disorders, gastrointestinal conditions, sore throats, ulcers, gout, arthritis, stomach ache, intestinal worms, cough, & bronchitis, & other respiratory irritations. Whole bark was also used as an abortifacient, but, sometimes had serious consequences, including the death of the mother. Washes were used to treat skin conditions, vaginitis, hemorrhoids, toothaches, & spider bites.

Stevia – A genus of about 240 species of herbs & shrubs in the sunflower family, it is native to subtropical & tropical regions from western North America to South America. The species, Stevia Rebaudiana, commonly known as Sweetleaf & Sugarleaf, has long been used as a sweetener, as well as in treating heartburn, obesity, flatulence, diabetes, & hypertension.

Stiff Goldenrod – Officially called Oligoneuron Rigidum, & also known as Prairie Goldenrod Rigid Goldenrod. The leaves & blossoms have been found to be an effective antiseptic, astringent & to stop bleeding. It has long been a valuable remedy in the treatment of all kinds of hemorrhages. Often the flowers were ground into a lotion & used by Native Americans to treat bee stings.

Stoneseed – Technically known as Lithospermum Officinale, this genus of plants belonging to the Boraginaceae family is also commonly known as Gromwell. The mature seeds have long been ground into a powder & used to treat bladder stones, arthritis, as a sedative. Many Native Americans, such as the Shoshoni, also used its roots as a contraceptive. A syrup made from a decoction of the root & stems was also used in the treatment of eruptive diseases such as smallpox, measles & itch.

Sumac – Scientifically called Rhus Glabra, this shrub is native to North America found in all 48 mainl& states of USA & in southern Canada. Also called Dwarf Sumac, Mountain Sumac, Scarlet Sumac, Smooth Sumac, Upland Sumac, White Shoemake, Vinegar-tree, & Red Sumac, it was used extensively by Native Americans for food & medicine. Young shoots, roots & fruit were eaten raw. The fruit was also cooked or tribes believed that Sumac could foretell the weather & the changing of the seasons, so it was held as a sacred plant. An infusion of the bark or roots was used as an antiseptic, astringent, diuretic, & for the treatment of colds, diarrhea, fever, to increase the flow of breast milk, sore mouths & throats, & inflammation of the bladder & painful urination. An infusion of the leaves was used for asthma, diarrhea, & stomach aches. A poultice of the leaves & berries was used to treat skin rashes, burns, poison ivy, & skin eruptions. The powdered bark was often made into an antiseptic salve & the leaves were chewed for sore gums & rubbed on sore lips. The berries have been chewed as a remedy for bed-wetting. An infusion of the blossoms used as an eye wash for sore eyes. The milky latex from the plant is used as a salve on sores. Mild decoctions from the bark was also used as a gargle for sore throats.

Sweetflag – Officially known as Acorus Calamus, this plant, native to Southern Asia, is has long since been introduced to most parts of the world. Also called Calamus, Sweet Sedge & Myrtle Flag, it has a very long history of medicinal use in many herbal traditions. The root has been used to treat flatulence, colds, cough, heart disease, bowel problems, colic, cholera, menstrual problems, dropsy, headache, sore throat, spasms, toothache, & swelling. It has also been used externally to treat skin eruptions, rheumatic pain, & arthritis. Some Native American tribes considered the root a panacea; others thought it had mystic powers.

Disclaimer:  These herbs have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Plants listed here must not be used to diagnose, treat, or heal medical conditions. Many are poisonous.

Native American Medicinal Plants T - Z

Tobacco – Officially called Nicotiana, there are over 60 species of tobacco, most of which are indigenous to Australia & America. The plants has long been important in Native American culture for social, religious, ceremonial purposes as well as in medicinal remedies. The leaves have long been used to treat pain, colic, kidney problems, dropsy, fever, colic, worms, convulsions, toothache, as an antidote for poison, skin conditions, boils, tuberculosis, vertigo, & to treat insect & snakebites.

Trichostema lanceolatum, used by natives of northern California as a cold & fever remedy, a pain reliever, & a flea repellent.

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Poultices of Umbellularia leaves were used to treat rheumatism & neuralgias. The Pomo & Yuki tribes of Mendocino County treated headaches by placing a single leaf in the nostril or bathing the head with a laurel leaf infusion.

Uva Ursi – Officially known as Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi, it is also known as Bearberry & Beargrape because bears like eating the fruit. It has been used medicinally since the 2C & Native Americans were known to have used it for bladder & urinary tract infections.

V

Virginia iris – Cherokee & other tribes in the southeastern United States are known to have used Virginia iris for its medicinal properties. The root was pounded into a paste that was used as a salve for skin. An infusion made from the root was used to treat ailments of the liver, & a decoction of root was used to treat "yellowish urine." Virginia iris may have been one of the iris species used by the Seminole to treat "shock following alligator-bite."

W

Western Skunk Cabbage – Officially known as Lysichiton Americanus, it is also called Yellow Skunk Cabbage or Swamp Lantern. Found in swamps & wet woods in the Pacific Northeast, it has a “skunky” odor that permeates the area where the plant grows. Native Americans used the plant as a medicine for burns & injuries, & to cure sores & swelling. 

Wild Rose – Cherokee healers recommend a decoction of the roots for diarrhea. 

White Pine – Known as Pinus Strobus officially, & commonly as Deal Pine & Soft Pine, it is native to North America from Grows from Newfoundland to Georgia mountains & central Iowa, west to northern Illinois. The inner bark, young shoots, twigs, pitch, & leaves have long been used by Native Americans in medicinal remedies to treat colds, cough, flu, pneumonia, fever, heartburn, headache, arthritis, neuritis, bronchitis, croup, laryngitis, & kidney problems. Some Native American tribes used the inner bark or the sap as a poultice for wounds & sores. 

White Willow  –  Some Native American Indians burned willow stems & used the ashes to treat sore eyes.

The inner bark of willow trees has been used by Native American groups for health issues including headache, bleeding cuts, skin sores, fever, cough & hoarseness, menstrual cramping, stomach pain & diarrhea. The inner bark is most often made into tea & drank, though it is also made into a poultice to cover the skin over broken bones or used to wash skin & hair to promote skin repair & hair growth.

Tribe Uses

Keres Analgesic

Hualapai Antirheumatic

Alabama Antidiarrheal

Abnaki Cough Medicine

Navajo Ceremonial Medicine

Thompson Orthopedic Aid (i.e. broken bones), colds, coughs, laxative

Seminole Analgesic

The Thompson people would make a concoction of wood, willow, soapberry branches & "anything weeds" to treat broken bones. If they wanted to treat a cold, however, the Thompson people would make a decoction of red willow branches & wild rose roots.

Wild Black Cherry – The Mohegan tribe allowed the ripe wild black cherry to ferment naturally in a jar about a year than then drank the juice to cure dysentery & the Meskwaki tribe were known to have made a sedative tea of the root bark. Note that the leaves & seed are poisonous.

Wild Carrot –  The Mohegan tribe were known to have steeped the blossoms in warm water to make a tea for diabetes. 

Wild Ginger – Officially known as Asarum Canadense, it is also called Canada Wild Ginger & Canadian Snakeroot, it native to forests in eastern North America, from the Great Plains east to the Atlantic Coast, & from southeastern Canada south to the southeastern United States. Native Americans used the roots as a seasoning as well as a medicinal herb to treat dysentery, digestive problems, swollen breasts, cough, & colds, typhus, scarlet fever, nerves, sore throat, cramps, earache, headache, convulsions, asthma, tuberculosis, urinary disorders & venereal disease. They also used it as a stimulant & appetite enhancer.

Willow – Of the Salix family, there are about 400 species of these trees & shrubs.  Native Americans across the American continent relied on it as a staple of their medical treatments. The Pomo tribe boiled the inner root bark to use in tea to induce sweating in cases of chills & fever. In the south, the Natchez prepared their fever remedies from the bark of the red willow, while the Alabama & Creek Indians plunged into willow root baths for the same purpose.

Witch Hazel – A proven astringent, it is produced from the leaves & bark of the North American Witch-hazel shrub, officially known as Hamamelis Virginiana. It grows naturally from Nova Scotia west to Ontario, Canada, & south to Florida & Texas in the United States & was widely used for medicinal purposes by American Indians. The Menominee of Wisconsin boiled the leaves & rubbed the liquid on the legs of tribesmen who were participating in sporting games. A decoction of the boiled twigs was used to cure aching backs, while steam derived by placing the twigs in water with hot rocks was a favorite Potawatomi treatment for muscle aches.

Wormwood – Officially called Artemisia Absinthium, it is also known as Absinthe & Green Ginger.  The Yokia Indians were known to have used a tea of the boiled leaves of a local species of wormwood to cure bronchitis.

Y

Yellow Dock – Officially known as Rumex Crispus, this common weed of the Buckwheat family are originally introduced from Europe & are now naturalized throughout North America. Also known as Curly Dock, Sour Dock, & Narrow Dock, it was quickly adopted by Native Americans as a traditional medicine & food. Both the leaves & roots were used by different tribes throughout North America to treat constipation, purify the blood, ringworm, & for stomach aches. The Navajo used the root as a tonic, considering it a “life medicine” & Cherokee herbalists prescribed a warm wash made from the decoction of crushed roots for a disinfectant.

Yellow Root – Officially called Xanthorhiza Simplicissima, this woody stemmed plant is native to the eastern United States from Maine south to northern Florida & west to Ohio & eastern Texas. While Yellow Root is toxic in large doses, Native Americans made a tea of it for treatment for mouth problems, stomach ulcers, stomach ache & used it externally on sores, skin conditions, & swelling. 

Yellow Spined Thistle – Officially called Cirsium Ochrocentrum, it is native to the central United States & has long been used by Native Americans in medicinal remedies. It was used in by the Zuni tribe as a contraceptive, & to treat syphilis & diabetes. The Kiowa also used the plant as wash for burns, sores, & other skin conditions.

Disclaimer:  These herbs have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Plants listed here must not be used to diagnose, treat, or heal medical conditions. Many are poisonous.

Cherokee Plant Lore

Extracted from:  Myths of the Cherokee.  Extract from the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau  of American Ethnology. Washington Government Printing Office 1902  Recorded by James Mooney (1861-1921) was an American ethnographer who lived for several years among the Cherokee.

PLANT LORE

The Cherokee have always been an agricultural people, and their old country is a region of luxuriant flora, with tall trees and tangled undergrowth on the slopes and ridges, and myriad bright-tinted blossoms and sweet wild fruits along the running streams. The vegetable kingdom consequently holds a far more important place in the mythology and ceremony of the tribe than it does among the Indians of the plains and arid sage deserts of the West, most of the  beliefs and customs in this connection centering around the practice of medicine, as expounded by priests and doctors in every settlement. Generally it is held that the plant world is friendly to humans, and constantly at the willing service of the doctors to counteract the jealous hostility of the animals. The sacred formulas contain many curious instructions for the gathering and preparation of the medicinal roots and barks, which are selected chiefly in accordance with the theory of correspondences.